Wadin in the sewers

Holaaaaa!!!

Can you believe we have already arrived at another P-day? Time is starting to FLY! Im not complaining....

haha Well HAPPY NEW YEARS!! We spent the hour of midnight trying to see the fireworks from the 6th floor of our apartment and trying to ignore the complete chaos that was happening downstairs and outside. At some point it was decided we needed a new years postre! We didnt have much to make somewthing with though...but we DID have a microwave, pretzels, marshmellows, candy bars, peanut butter and granola. Turns out when you mash all that together and pop it in the microwave for a bit...its fantastic!!

Monday during the middle of a treausred p-day nap we were awoken by the knock at the door. Its always a little scary when people knock on our door because we have had some troubles with visitors in the past...So I was shocked and delighted when my mother and old trainer walked in! She had to come to the city for some visa stuff and stopped by! It was so great to see her, have her in our house again, speak some english and introduce her to my step mom! Little surprises like that are always fun. Especially when the surprise includes chocolate. She didnt actually bring any chocolate with her...but maybe next time.

SO I finally understand why migranes arent looked ipon as fun. I was graced with quite a vicious one that lasted about a weel. I kept mistaking it for the flu or food poisoning because I kept well...throwing up. But eventually I realized the real problem was in my head. Luckily me and my companion got weird sicknesses at the same time (she got pneumonia..in the summer? I know) wo while she coughed away, I lay on my bed with a pillow over my face feeling knives every time a dog barked (which in case youve never been to Chile...its every second...we call it the "chorus of Angels" All the dogs barking and howling forever)

Once we were well enough to go out my companion led me by the arm everywhere so I wouldnt have to open my eyes and be seared by the sunlight. Somehow word got out that we were sick. I am pretty sure every abueloito, padre, hijo and wawa brought us food. Well...more of tea, coffee flavored milk and carne. The bishop also came over and gave me a blessing and everyone had fun finding out what my first name is."How could your first name be weirder than your last??"

We had another beautiful baptism this weekend! Let me tell you about Hector. He is pretty dang awesome. He is about 23 or so and working on his doctrite here at the University of Concepcion. On Christmas his parents told him they would disown him if he got baptized. Yet, saturday he shocwed up in white...smiling and teasing us with his english phrases like normal. He even gave the talk and special musical number at his baptism! I dont think I have ever seen that before..

Friday I went on a mimi cambio to Calloa. It was great in the way that ut made me appreciate and miss my roommates and companion so much! I came home and we all pretty much fell into tears of happiness and relief that that is the last time we will be seperated..at least for two more weeks. The thing is I just have the three best missionaries in the world living with me! And possibly our 4 personalities are as different from one another as it can get! The result is just perfection! Hermana De Leon makes up raps using random english (ish) words and raps to me as we walk (after I told her how much I miss rap). Hermana Lee`s helps me stay sane by speaking in english whispers sometimes and agrees that mayonnaise should NOT be part of the food pryamid. Hermana Tejerina (from Bolivia) is possibilty the funniest, sweetest and most adorable person in South America. She teaches us a different latin american dance every night, enjoys talking about her boyfriend (and shares the chocolate he sends) and amuses me with english phrases she knows...like "come on baby" and "I love spicy hot pepsi".

Lately we have been working on the pronouncuation (forgive me...I have no idea how to spell that) of english songs. We have spènt quite some time on the difference between "her" and "hair·. Who knew that could be so hard? Lately she has gotten into the habit of singing me weird, scary bolivian lullabys at night. I love her to death even though she does poke my stomach every morning and tell me that I am "mas gordita cada dia" (getting fat). I would like to be related to her so if some single cousin wants to write her I can help you out with that.

Every once in awhile we have a "gringo night" where I will teach some American thing. Like how to make and eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich..or how to skip...or how to dance the chicken dance. Its great.

We have been teaching a 70 year old convert how to read. I cannot believe how normal it is here for people to not know how to read or write. This poor man desperately wants to read the book of mormon...so instead of coming everyday and reading it to him- we go and teach him how to read. I figured since I leanred how to read from the Book of Mormon, he could too! But any advice on teaching this skill would be appreciated.

Anyways, thats about it for this week! Wish you could all be in Chillancito today and enjoy the streets as they are flooded with sewage. I wont go into the peculiar smell that is in the air. Good thing I can jump pretty far and have highish shoes. Hermana Page is out of the hospital and better! Pretty sure she is going to get back out there tomorrow! Huge blessing for sure!

Have a great back to school week!! Those weeks are always hard. I encourage everyone to eat some chocolate to get through it. In case you havent noticed I am thinking about choclate a lot today...I think I shall go buy some.

YEEEAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! WHHHOOOOOHOOOOOOO!!!

Chow chow!!!

-Hermana Orchard

A whole chicken someone dropped off for the sick people. The soda is Kem. Short for chemical. Im pretty sure it is fatal. It feels and tastes like bleach or windex or something. 

Hectors Baptism and stuffed in the back of a taxi

I love you all so much. Hope your Christmas was merry! I may or may not have gotten a don quixote ski mask for christmas....THANKS so much for the photos of Maria. I love her so much. Hay que bautizar Ximena no mas. :D And Hna Woodbury told me about Hector!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Way to be, rippin up Chillancito and stuff. I Love you. Happy 2014!